


Romantic Gesture

by Angelleap77



Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: Attempted lemon, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, M/M, Paranoia, Romance, Suggested naughtiness, Teasing, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-10-26 10:55:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17744597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelleap77/pseuds/Angelleap77
Summary: It's almost Valentine's Day and the trolls are seeking out their life mates. This time, it's "NO TROLL LEFT BEHIND". They fully intend this year that no troll who is of age to mate will be left without one, not even the village grump.





	1. The Plan

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bluemoondreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluemoondreams/gifts).



It was once again that time of year, just a few short days away from one of the most loved of all Trolls holidays, Valentine's Day. Many of the trolls were looking forward to this event, well... most that is. Only a few were not quite as eager, being nervous because they knew what was being planned for this Valentine's Day.

King Peppy steps out of the royal flower pod and looks at the massive group of trolls. He had requested that ALL the trolls be in attendance for this announcement. He glances around not seeing one particular troll till his eyes glance towards the tree line and notice that one troll sitting on a tree branch waiting to hear whatever the announcement was. With a nod of satisfaction, King Peppy turns to the colony and gains their attention. "GOOD MORNING TROLL VILLAGE!!" Everyone gets all excited and cheer for their king a moment before going quiet again when he raises his hands. "As you all know, Valentine's Day is only a few days away. Under normal conditions, we would just let everyone do their own thing and choose mates when they felt the need. However, many of you are 21 or older now and have yet to choose mates." He gives a slightly dirty look at Poppy, Guy, Creek, and a few random others. "This year is going to be different. There are going to be many changes this year, starting with this season. This season... there will be NO TROLL LEFT BEHIND!! This means, if you are old enough to mate, we are going to ensure you have one before mating season begins in the spring. I would like to see many new trollings running around by end of summer if possible. I know many of you are excited for this, but many of you are nervous. A couple of you even have pointed out prior to this point that you don't mind being alone. Well, that is going to change. Be prepared, all of you. By the end of the day on Valentine's Day, each and every one of you that is old enough is going to have a mate, even if I have to sick my daughter on you to persuade you."

Many trolls giggle knowing how meddlesome Poppy could be when it came to relationships but also knowing she does it because she just wants that troll to be happy. Several of the trolls in attendance hear a slight squeak from the trees before glancing back and noticing Branch trying to make a run for it. Apparently he didn't care for the idea, or he was more nervous than anyone expected.

King Peppy grabs a huge notepad and starts walking around to the different single trolls after the announcement was done. He only asks them each 2 simple questions. First being their preference and second being if they already had someone in mind to chase, whether they thought it would work in their favor or not. If it was a complicated situation, he made sure to put a star near it to indicate that it would require some extra special attention. His expressions change from happy, to wary, to utterly stunned as he goes from troll to troll to find out the answers he was after. He puts a star next to Creek's name, knowing this relationship was going to definitely need some special attention. When Peppy reaches his daughter, he was quite surprised when she admitted to having a thing for Guy Diamond. Peppy had to admit that Guy was a sweet troll, caring, outgoing, willing to help when needed, and could potentially make a good King someday. In Peppy's view, Guy would make the perfect match for Poppy. His inattention to the next trolls became obvious after he had talked to Creek. They all kept asking him if he was alright until a couple of them managed to get a peek at what was marked next to Creek's name. They all had that same stunned look Peppy had and several of them glance at Creek like he had totally lost his mind. They had to admit though that Creek and the troll that was marked next to his name would make a cute pair, if they could manage to get past their obvious differences and get along.

Peppy makes a trip into the woods after he got everyone else's info and notices his target down close to one of the streams. "Hello Branch, I was hoping to ask you a couple things if you have a few moments to spare." Branch glances up at the king and looked quite nervous about this whole thing. "Of course sir, what is it you wanted to know?"

Peppy could easily tell Branch was nervous, from the way he shifted his eyes in random directions making sure they were alone, to the ears twitching listening for any sounds out of place, to the slight twitching of Branch's hands as he fidgeted a bit. "Nothing major. We just wanna make sure all trolls have mates this Valentine's Day, including you. I just need to know your preference and if there is anyone you might already be interested in pursuing."

Branch flushes a bit, making his gray skin seem almost black around his cheek's. "I prefer guy's actually. I usually don't tell people about that. As for anyone I might be interested in, well... there is one.. but I can't tell him because I don't know if he feels the same way and I don't think I could handle rejection at this point. I've lost everything in my life, you of all trolls know that. You knew my grandmother was taken and that was the reason for this.." he ushers towards his gray skin " but... I don't know if I can approach him. He and I are so different, almost like polar opposites. That plus I have no clue as to what he likes or anything." He blushes a bit again thinking about the one who had captured his heart so many years ago.

Peppy nods a moment to all of this and smirks. "Well, if you mean Creek, he prefers guys..." He snickers at the slight startled expression on Branch's face "but as for anything else, not sure I can help ya there. He's a hard one to understand at times, even harder to figure out his likes and dislikes. I think your best bet there is to ask Poppy. She knows Creek better than most trolls in the village. She's likely to know what he likes and all that. Anyways, I will leave you now to think things over, but keep in mind, I am not letting you completely out of my sight, Branch. I will ensure you have a mate by the end of Valentine's Day... even if I have to hogtie you and leave you tied up in ribbon's outside Creek's pod door as a present to him." Peppy smirks all naughty like at the implications of his words and laughs as he walks back to the village, leaving a very red faced and speechless Branch behind him.

...  
TADA... chapter 1 of a very naughty Valentine's story. Enjoy :)


	2. Early planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Creek decides that an early Valentine is in order to set things in motion.

It was an hour after the announcement and Creek was hiding in his flower pod. He was overly paranoid about this whole thing, knowing full well others were in the same position as he was. It was almost ironic, him being paranoid. "Oh heaven help me, I am getting just as paranoid as Branch. I really hope this doesn't blow up in my face." He knew the king wouldn't back down with his plans. Peppy might be old, but he was stubborn. When he wanted something a certain way, 99% of the time, thats usually the way it ended up. Fighting against the inevitable was just plain idiocy. "You better not break my heart, Branch." 

The lavender toned guru settles down at his desk to write a card out in the shape of a heart. It had a minimal amount of glitter on it, knowing that Branch wasn't a huge fan of glitter. Inside the card, he wrote something simple and to the point. "I have longed for you for years, hated the distance between us, but prayed that one day we would find our way to each other. I know you're in pain from losing those close to you, but I would hope that you can trust me enough to be there with you, to be the one to comfort you when you need it. I am not asking for a miracle and I don't expect this to happen overnight, but please my love.. be my Valentine?"

Reading it over again to make sure it sounded okay, Creek gently slips the card into a shiny red envelope that had little pink and white hearts in random spots across it. He writes Branch's name in the middle of the card and sets it aside. He gets up and walks over to his huge display of flowers that he grew indoors. He selects a few different types of irises and Lilly's along with some baby's breath and puts them into a silver toned vase with a lavender ribbon around the top of it. He makes sure the flowers were positioned well before setting the vase near the card and heading into his kitchen. He gathers some cocoa powder, confectioners sugar, peanut butter, milk, butter, and a few other things and settles into a steady rhythm of making some homemade chocolates. Since he wasn't sure which kind Branch liked, he made some filled with peanut butter, some with caramel, some with strawberry and raspberry creams. Some of them were milk chocolate covered and some had dark chocolate. Each one, once set, was drizzled with caramel or chocolate syrup and allowed to set again.

Getting the chocolates done and put into a star shaped silver and gold box, Creek attaches a ribbon to it in the shade of teal and royal blue, colors that he felt meant something but he couldn't understand why at that time. He wanted to at least show Branch that he cared for him, even if the feelings weren't returned. The talk he had earlier with King Peppy hadn't been anything to ease his paranoia. Everyone in the village knew how stubborn Branch was and already many were calling him crazy for wanting to be with the hostile survivalist. 

"They just don't see you the way I do. I hope someday they will, Branch." Saying this out loud helped to alleviate some of the paranoia he was feeling, but not completely. He gets the flowers picked up gently after tucking the card and box of chocolates into his hair and heads out of his flower pod. He gets several looks from the other trolls when they see the gorgeous vase of flowers and hears murmurs of how lucky the one getting those flowers was. Some knew who they were for, but others didn't. Some of the female trolls of the village were looking hopeful but then start to pout when Creek simply walks past them without even sparing them a 2nd glance. Once he started heading towards the edge of town, pretty much everyone watching knew where he was going and who the flowers were meant for. Creek locks eyes with King Peppy as he heads towards the bunker, the king only having just returned from that direction himself. King Peppy gives him an encouraging nod and lets him go do what he needed to do.

Upon reaching the field around the bunker, Creek peeks through the high grass to make sure Branch was nowhere around. Not seeing any signs of the survivalist, the guru sneaks over and sets the vase of flowers down on an open patch of dirt near the bunker door. He removes the chocolates and card from his hair and sets them near the vase of flowers, settling some rocks around the vase and other items so they didn't get knocked over or blown away by any sudden gusts of wind. Unsure if Branch was home or not, Creek knocks on the bunker door, then scurries away to an overhanging tree branch nearby and swiftly blends in. He decided to stay there until he saw the reaction from Branch. When no answer to his knock occurred, Creek wondered if Branch was even home. He stayed hidden though just in case.

Branch returned to the bunker roughly an hour later, looking stressed out and tired. He stops short when he notices the vase of flowers by his bunker door and cautiously approaches. Seeing the card and box of what he assumed was chocolates with it, he raises an eye wondering what was going on. "What the...? It's not Valentines Day yet..." He walks over and picks up the card, blushing a bit when he recognizes the handwriting on the envelope. He opens it up and reads the card silently to himself, tears gathering in his eyes as he does so. He glances around and notices the slight shimmer of something out of place in a nearby tree but only glances at it long enough to pretend to have not seen it. A soft and gentle smile reaches his face when he reads the card again and his fingers lightly caress the words on it before he slips it back into the envelope. He knew who it was from and knew that now, his concerns were unjustified. Knowing now that the one he has loved for years does indeed love him just as much, he felt he needed to do something and soon. He knew there was going to be a huge party on the night prior to Valentine's Day, so it would be the perfect time to set his plans into action. He gently picks up the flowers after putting the card and box of chocolates into his hair and slips down into the bunker, leaving a hand drawn heart shape in the dirt where he had picked up the stuff from.

Creek climbs down from his hiding place after he hears the lock secure on the bunker door and notices the heart shape drawn on the ground. Grinning like a crazy person, he jumps up and down all giddy like and makes a run for the village, skipping along with a smile so wide that there was no doubt on anyones mind that his venture was successful. Poppy watches Creek skip by with the seriously happy look on his face and giggles all excited for him. She heard from her dad that Creek had a thing for Branch, and from the look on the guru's face, it was obvious whatever he had just done had been accepted well. King Peppy, seeing the reactions of the guru, decided to remove the star next to Creek's name. He felt that if the guru could make good progress like this on his first try, then perhaps intervention on the relationship was not needed after all.

...  
Boop.. chapter 2 :)


	3. No turning back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Branch makes plans to finish what has been started and show the one he loves what he truly feels.

Branch had to make plans and quickly. It was now the next morning and he had spent most of the night tossing and turning trying to figure out how to return the gesture to Creek. He snags one of the chocolates from the box that Creek had given him, savoring the flavor of it. Taking a look at the chocolate drizzled on it, it was giving him seriously naughty ideas. "Alright Branch, get your brain out of the gutter.. for now." Talking to himself had become a normal routine when he had to get his train of thought in order. Lately, it hadn't been working quite as well. After being given the flowers last night, he had walked into his bedroom and fantasized about the guru sprawled naked on his bed waiting to be ravished. Branch shakes his head again trying to get his mind off that, before realizing it was too late. "Well freakin crap..."

A few minutes later, he exits the bathroom, washes his hands in the flowing water of his spring like sink that used the creek water from above ground, then sits down at the table in his living room area with a notepad and starts writing down some ideas. 

"A card is definitely in order, flowers for sure... gotta be roses. Yes, definitely has to be roses." He looks around a moment before his eyes settle on his collection of crystals nearby. He knew from being around Creek so often that certain crystals had special qualities. Some had healing qualities, some had calming qualities, and others were capable of warding off negative aura's or those with them. He gets up and walks over to them, gathering a small group of quartz, citrine, amethyst, and aquamarine crystals and sets them into a small box. One of the quartz crystals was perfect for a pendant, so he started off by grabbing some gold wrapping wire and managed to drill a small hole through the top of the crystal for the wire to go through. After threading the crystal onto the wire, he starts twisting the wire into a very intricate shape so as to resemble a Celtic knot. It took him almost 20 minutes to get it to the shape he wanted. Searching through his small box close to the crystals, he pulls out a chain composed of alternating quartz and amethyst crystals and fixes the pendant to it. The end result was so eye catching, he was certain that Creek would be stunned speechless.

He looks around a moment but couldn't seem to find a box suitable enough for the necklace, so he makes one instead out of cherry wood. He carves Creek's name onto the top of the box lid with Celtic designs around his name and around the edges of the lid. Inside, he lines it with a velvet type material and settles the necklace gently inside, making sure it didn't shift around. He places a ribbon around the smaller box that had the other crystals in it, a ribbon in the same colors as Creek himself, before setting that smaller box with the necklace box. By this time, it was already 10am and normally he would be above ground and starting his usual routine but he knew he had to get the card finished first. Picking up his pen, he sits back down at the table and starts making the card. He puts his heart into the words when he starts to write them. Looking down at the words when he was done, he reads them out loud to himself to make sure it sounded okay before he put it away.

Roses Are Red  
Violets Are Blue  
I could not imagine  
A life without you.

"I could continue from here, but I think that one part says enough. You are my first thought when I wake each day and my last before I sleep each night. Even then, you plague my dreams, dreams that up till now, I thought could never come to pass. All I ask is one thing... for you to be my Valentine now and always. Meet me at the lake at midday on Valentine's Day with your answer. If you don't show, I will know what your answer is."

Satisfied with how it sounded, Branch carefully puts the card into an envelope and writes Creek's name on it. It also had written on the bottom "urgent, open immediately." He sets the card down with the 2 boxes then makes his way up out of the bunker. Deciding to make the most of his day, he wanders into the village and stops at the local flower shop. He glances around at the various flowers before noticing the array of roses along one wall, all of various colors. He decides to settle for traditional red and white roses, just because of their significance more than anything. He grabs a lavender toned vase from nearby and loads it with an assortment of red and white roses and baby's breath flowers, arranging it in such a way as to show off their beauty. He glances over and notices some lavender and blue tea roses nearby as well, noticing how close to Creek's skin and hair colors they were. He gets a couple of them as well before bringing the flowers and vase up to the counter.

Rosie, the shop owner, walks over and had to do a double take when she noticed who it was that was buying flowers. She smiles widely when she notices which kind Branch had gone with and rings up the purchase for him. "Well, the person getting these is going to freak out for sure." She giggles seeing Branch blush slightly at the comment. When she picks up the lavender and blue tea roses, she smiles, now knowing fully well who the flowers are for. "I'm sure he will love them, Branch. He's been waiting a long time for this. Please don't break his heart."

Branch nods a moment. "I think both of us are worried about a broken heart. I lost everyone dear to me. I would hate to lose him too. I have wanted to tell him for years how I felt about him, but was always worried he would laugh at me and walk away." He sighs slightly knowing this was likely the first time he openly admitted his feelings to anyone. "I just hope things go well."

"I'm sure they will Branch. Good luck on your attempt to win his heart. I doubt it'll take much once he see's these flowers." She giggles and finishes ringing up the purchase and accepting the payment. She watches Branch leave the store afterwards before turning to her mate who had come out of the back room in time to see Branch leave. "Things are looking up Sage, for both of them this time." Sage nods and signals with his hands that he wished them the best. He had been born mute and so indicated his thoughts through his hand gestures. He also hinted to Rosie that Smidge and Biggie needed to be more discreet. Apparently the two had already exchanged Valentines, he had seen them do it, and had shooed them towards the woods to be more private in their 'activities'.

Rosie just shakes her head a moment. "Sweetie, you should know by now that Smidge is anything but discreet. I doubt she even knows the meaning of the word." She starts laughing along with her mate as they head towards the back of the shop again to get back to work.

Later that night, the pre-Valentines party got underway. The entire village was in attendance, giving Branch the perfect chance to finish his plans. He sneaks into the village when everyone was away at the party, making sure prior to going towards the pods that Creek was already at the party so he wasn't caught, then heads towards Creek's flower pod which was settled close to the edge of town. The vibrant purple and blue pod was settled among some flower bushes and surrounded by Ivy plants that concealed it from view from above. Branch peeks around before placing the vase of flowers on the doorstep along with both boxes and the card. The card, he made sure was settled near the top of the flower arrangement so it was seen first. He heads away from the pod after setting things there and heads back towards his bunker for the night. He really didn't want to go to the party, but for him that was normal. Halfway back, he stops and shakes his head. "I must be out of my mind." 

He turns around and heads back towards the party, startling pretty much everyone when they notice his arrival. He gives them a weird look for a moment before locking eyes with several members of the Snack Pack. He walks over to the group and nods a hello to the shocked group. "Don't let it go to your head. I just had something to do really quick so figured I'd stop over and say hi." He lets out a huge squeak when Creek grabs him around the waist and spins him around into a dance routine with him, getting many people to back up and look at them surprised. Creek leads him around with the song before placing his arms around the survivalist gently. Branch didn't know what to make of it but wasn't complaining. He leans towards Creek's ear a moment and whispers something to him. "You know people might get the wrong idea by this right?"

Creek snickers slightly. "Let them think what they will. I just want to enjoy this extremely rare moment with you." They finish the dance in relative silence, eyes never leaving the others until the song ended. Branch resists the urge to kiss Creek and backs up slightly. "Well, I better get back to the bunker. Big plans for tomorrow since its Valentine's Day and all. Have a good night." He heads back to the bunker, hoping things went well for the next day.

...   
yay... next :)


	4. A Pleasant Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Creek arrives back home after the party to a surprise waiting for him.

Creek couldn't believe his luck. Of all nights for Branch to come out of his shell and actually come to a party, it had to be on the night before Valentine's Day. He ran the situation over and over in his head, awestruck by the mere idea that he got to dance with Branch and had gotten no complaints. It was almost like he had been dreaming the entire situation. It was almost too good to be true. He had to pinch himself a couple times just to make sure it wasn't all one big dream. Even the hands waving in front of his face from the Snack Pack didn't stop Creek from watching Branch disappear back into the woods heading towards his bunker. A light pop upside his head finally drew his attention though. He turns to the culprit with a slight scowl on his face. "Now what was that for?"

Poppy shakes her head at him, having been the one to pop him. "You had the perfect chance right there to confess to him and you didn't. What is wrong with you? That moment was just too perfect and you botched it." She shakes her head at him wondering what was going through that head of his.

"I got the reaction I was hoping for. He didn't complain about me pulling him into a dance with me, he didn't complain about my hands around his waist, and most of all Poppy, his eyes never left mine during that whole dance. I couldn't have asked for a better moment." His cheeks were bright red when he was talking, being totally thrilled by the rare moment he got to share with the one he loved right in front of the entire colony. "I will find a way to make him mine, but I'm not going to pressure him. I already left him a card and it was well received. He actually smiled when he was reading it, a reaction I will forever keep in my memory." His eyes take on a misty look and his cheeks flare up even more than before.

Poppy and the rest of the Snack Pack along with all those within hearing range all smile hearing that, seeing how bad Creek had it for the survivalist. Guy Diamond comes over to him a moment and shakes his head. "You're a hopeless romantic Creek, but keep in mind one thing. Branch has lost everything and everyone dear to him. He didn't want too many to know, but it's the reason he's gray. Some of us have known him since before he lost his color so we know how he can be with the right conditions. Know this, if you hurt him, you better hide because those of us that know about his past will hunt you down."

Creek gulps hearing the serious tone of Guy's voice and looks him in the eye seeing he meant it. "I have no intentions of hurting Branch, ever. You know as well as anyone though that sometimes things happen beyond our control. If this is going to work between him and I, there is to be NO MEDDLING, NO MATCHMAKING, or anything else of the sort. Branch and I need to sort things out ourselves. I made the first move so now its up to him. Him not pushing me away tonight was a good thing, very likely it could mean that he has accepted my request. I'm hoping to find out no later than tomorrow seeing as how King Peppy is insistent on everyone having a mate by tomorrow's end." He sighs deeply a moment, thoughts of the survivalist running through his mind. "Well, I am heading back to my pod for the night. I need some rest so I can see how things go in the morning."

He nods to each of them as he leaves to head back to his pod, hearing comments of "goodnight" and "sleep well" following behind him. As he approaches his pod, he glances up slightly before tilting his head to the side, noticing something odd by his pod door. He wanders over and notices the card, flowers, and 2 boxes stacked on each other by the door. He glances at the card noticing it said open immediately and had his name written in beautiful writing across the front of it. He picks up the flowers and boxes and carries them inside, flips a light on, and sets them on the table. He quietly shuts and locks the door then turns back to the card and opens it up. He notices the poem first and his breath hitches in his throat at it. The rest of the card left him in tears, but not the bad kind. He leans over and takes a smell of the roses and smiles widely. "Oh Branch... this has got to be from you." He glances at the boxes and notices the small one tied in a ribbon that matched his own colors. He smirks slightly and unties the ribbon and peeks inside at the crystals. He was immediately captivated by how stunning of pieces they were. He sets them down and glances at the larger box, running a gentle hand across it. He couldn't help but notice it appeared to be hand made and was carved with Celtic designs. It even had his name carved into the top of the box. He lifts the lid and immediately his eyes go wide at the necklace presented to him. "Oh my... now that is a piece of work." He looks around a moment and peeks out the window wondering if Branch was anywhere in sight, but he didn't see him. He turns his attention back to the necklace and decides he would wear it the next day. The message at the bottom of the card asked he be at the lake by mid-day, so he was going to do just that. "Hmmm, I do have to wonder if he realizes that necklace could be considering a wooing gift." He chuckles to himself at the thought but for a moment was praying thats what it was for. "Please let this be from you, Branch. I couldn't bear it in my heart if it was someone other than you."

He puts the boxes away securely in a nearby stand drawer and then heads to bed for the night, dreams of Branch filling his head, some good, and some very very naughty.

...  
Had to do a filler chapter of Creek's reaction. Enjoy :)


	5. Rock The Poppy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy gets a special Valentine surprise.
> 
> *warning* Things get steamy for the next couple chapters from here (or at least steamy for me lol)

Creek gets up early the next morning, eager to make the most of his morning before the meeting at midday. He knew if he didn't give out his Valentine's now, he likely wouldn't have the chance to later. Grabbing the basket with the valentine's he had to give out, he skips out of his pod and starts dropping them off at the doors they belonged to. He stops at Poppy's door and jumps a bit when she opens the door. "Oh, good morning Poppy." He passes over her Valentine card grinning slightly. "Don't worry, I hadn't forgotten about you. Oh and I have a meeting around midday, so I won't be available to do anything likely for a few hours. Please, do not follow me and do not send someone to spy either. I doubt the one I am meeting up with would appreciate that as it is."

Poppy looks between Creek and the card then back again as he tells her about the meeting. "Well, for your sake Creek, I hope it's Branch that you're meeting up with. One of your neighbors saw the vase of flowers you took inside your pod last night and kinda informed me about it. She said they were stunning. I really hope that was from Branch. We all know you have a thing for him now, not just part of the colony. I have plans of my own today as it is, so I'll likely be a little busy. I won't interrupt your day... promise." Her sweet little grin didn't do much to alleviate Creek's concern about her interference.

Shaking his head slightly, Creek just nods at her and gives her a look that she knew all too well, a look that meant that if she interfered, he'd never let her hear the end of it. Glancing behind him, he noticed several others already out as well dropping off Valentine cards and decides it was time to make his exit. "Have a good day Poppy. I'll have to remind Branch about the event later, the one that occurs this day at sundown. It's the only day of the year it actually happens." He skips away to go finish his card drop-offs, leaving Poppy confused about what event he meant.

Poppy was still standing there confused as to what Creek meant when Guy shows up at her doorstep looking nervous. She squeaks when he shows up in front of her all of a sudden and backs up a step. "Oh hey Guy, sorry about that. I got a little bit confused by something Creek told me about, well, more like something he mentioned. Do you know about an event thats supposed to happen around sunset on this day of the year?"

Guy grins widely and nods, nudging Poppy inside the pod so they could talk. He helps shut the door behind them. "Well, from what I heard, today is also the ancient Soul Flowers event. Those flowers on the edge of the village that never seem to bloom, they are a rare and special type. They only bloom on Valentine's Day, right around sunset. There are 2 blooms on each stem as you know. When they open, they're supposed to glow with the colors of intended soul mates. If the couples that are joined this day happen to be soulmates as well, then it was meant to be. If the colors are different, that could indicate conflict in the relationship or a relationship that won't last."

Poppy listens intently and grins widely. "That sounds so romantic. I can fully understand now why they would bloom on Valentine's Day. It makes the perfect event for this day." She squeals all excited like and thinks a moment. "Actually, I think I saw them bloom last year around this time. I swear, I am not joking, I saw one of them that had a purple glowing bloom and a teal blue glowing bloom together. Now who do we know that is teal blue... under normal conditions?" She giggles all crazy like knowing exactly who those likely represented.

Guy grins a moment and shakes his head. "Branch is normally teal blue and Creek being purple, they are indeed meant to be. I happened to see them bloom last year too and the one I saw got me thinking. I know its exact position in the flower patch as well, so I'd be willing to show you later. First things first though... " He hands her a Valentine card and some chocolates he had bought for her. "I'm no good at making homemade chocolates so I had someone else make them instead." He goes to stand up a moment and trips over the edge of the chair, not realizing his foot had gone around the chair leg while he had been sitting down. Poppy goes to grab him before he went down, but only succeeded in falling on top of him on the floor. Guy looks at the position they were in on the floor and then glances up, seeing Poppy with a very red face. Taking a chance, he leans up, pulls Poppy closer to him, and presses his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. 

"I must confess Poppy, I love you. I have for a while. I just hope this doesn't ruin our friendship as I would hate to put a rift between us." He goes silent when Poppy swoops down and liplocks him, letting out a slight shiver when he felt Poppy's hands running down his sides and along his chest. "Ummm, maybe we should take this to the bedroom instead of here on your living room floor yes?"

Poppy giggles a moment and nods, getting to her feet and helping Guy up. She blushes bright red when she notices how worked up Guy was. "I think your friend down there is eager for some fun." She pulls Guy into the bedroom, shuts and locks the door, then pushes Guy onto the bed. She licks her lips a moment before crouching down and taking Guy's member in her mouth and getting to work on it, getting a gasp of surprise from the glitter troll followed by a deep guttural moan. She could feel herself getting wet down below while she was doing this and knew she was more than ready for this. She pulls back from Guy's now fully erect member and strips her dress off leaving herself completely nude.

Guy takes one look at her and blushes bright red. He reaches up and starts touching various areas of Poppy's body, loving the little whimpers and pants he was getting from her. He pulls her onto the bed and positions himself over her. "You sure about doing this? You know there's no going back once we mate." He smiles lovingly at her when she just gives him a nod before gently and firmly pushing his member inside Poppy's warm body. It wasn't too long before they were able to build up a steady rhythm pushing himself deeper with every thrust into her body.

Several other trolls outside heard the noises coming from inside and stay as far away from the pod as possible, knowing what was going on in there and not wanting to interrupt. The noise continued for at least a couple hours and just a little past midday.

...  
*meeps and hides* I tried.. I'm not that good at lemons lol


	6. Not Subtle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Branch makes his way towards the lake for his meet-up with Creek and comes across Smidge and Biggie.

Roughly an hour before midday, Branch decided to start heading towards the lake early. He had spent most of the morning preparing the bunker for what he hoped would be a romantic evening with Creek. He had spent a couple hours cleaning and setting things up. Satin sheets on the bed, rose petals scattered all over the bed and surrounding floor, incense burning that filled the bunker with a sweet vanilla aroma, even a romantic dinner table setting with candles that he would light up later when they were needed. He had almost everything planned down to the smallest detail, another way of proving he was crazy prepared.

A naughty grin spreads across his face as he thinks about the edible ribbons he had made to tie up Creek with and the bottles of chocolate syrup he had on standby. The ribbons had taken him a couple hours during the night to perfect seeing as how they had to be strong, yet flexible enough to be tied like normal ribbon could be. To make them the perfect consistency was a bunch of trial and error on Branch's part, but he was insistent on everything being perfect down to the last detail. He had been waiting and hoping for this chance for a while now and certainly did not want to ruin it due to an oversight of small details.

Making his way out of the bunker and up into the morning sun, he peeks around to make sure he was alone. Last thing he needed was a surprise visitor at this time of the day. Making his way through the woods towards the lake, his sensitive ears picked up on what sounded like moans of pleasure. Considering the depth of the sound, at first he thought maybe it was two males having fun, that was until he came around the edge of a large boulder and berry bush and spotted Smidge and Biggie. Both were very much naked and Smidge was riding Biggie, voicing her pleasure for anyone unlucky enough to be in hearing range.

Clearing his throat, Branch glances away from the very erotic scene before him, drawing a startled look from Biggie and an amused look from Smidge. She thought it was funny having been caught mating and by Branch of all trolls. Smidge stands up from what she was doing, saunters over to Branch and stops in front of him with her hands on her hips like 'you want some of this?'. She clearly was not embarrassed about being naked in front of Branch. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Branch who was trying to avoid looking at either of them. Last thing he needed was to get worked up too early and have to explain why he was aroused if and when Creek arrived.

Smidge uses his distraction to her advantage and uses her hair to yank Branch off his feet, yanking his pants down at the same time as he was falling to the ground. He lets out a loud squeak when she does that. "Seriously Smidge?! I am not your mate!" Smidge gets a good eyeful as does Biggie. Both seemed surprised at Branch's size and blush bright red. "You are so not subtle, Smidge!"

Branch yanks his pants back up and glares at the midget. "Now what was that for? You should know better than that." Smidge just laughs and smirks at him. "Size comparison. You have a big one. I'm sure Creek will enjoy that." She winks slyly at Branch, knowing the mention of Creek would likely cause Branch to act his normal way when Creek was mentioned or around.. like a total lovesick idiot.

Branch gets a naughty grin on his face at that. "That's what I'm hoping too actually. Oh by the way, you do know how Biggie got his name right?" He smirks seeing Biggie's eyes go wide and him waving frantically for Branch not to say it. Smidge shakes her head but was clearly curious. "It was because of his size down there when he was born. His mom commented he had a biggie when he was born and boom, he got his name." He smirks all devious like as Biggie blushes bright red and Smidge was on the ground rolling around laughing like a crazy person.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stick around and torment you two, I gotta get to the lake for my hopeful meet-up with Creek." He goes to start walking away before letting out a loud groan as Smidge gets a handful of his package through his shorts. "Nope, you are definitely not subtle, Smidge." He swats her hand away and backs up a moment. "You two better go find a more concealed area for your activities. I doubt anyone else wants to get an eyeful like I did." He quickly glances at each of them and shakes his head. Getting away quickly, he finishes his walk to the lake to meet Creek, now clearly more eager to jump him than before.

...  
hehehehe... *devious grin*


	7. Bunker Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Branch and Creek meet up and things get steamy

Branch arrived at the lake a few minutes after escaping from the awkward encounter with Smidge and Biggie. He was silently praying that Creek showed up for the meet-up. His heart would be shattered if Creek didn't show up. He wanted so badly to tell the guru how he truly felt about him, feelings he had kept to himself for years. The closer it had gotten to mating season this time though, the more he wanted to claim the guru for his own mate, to show him through actions how much he truly loved him. He felt that sometimes, words just weren't enough.

Unknown to the survivalist, the area around the lake had a very unique acoustic quality, able to amplify sounds that could be heard a couple miles away. This was due to all the crystal formations around the lake. Sound waves would echo off some of the crystals or be amplified by others, making the area perfect for parties where hearing from a distance would be difficult otherwise. He sits down on one of the rocks at the water's edge and starts singing lightly, his first time singing again out in the open ever since the loss of his grandmother so many years prior. His volume increases as his heart releases the emotions that had been bottled up for so long, emotions of love, compassion, and longing.

Back in Troll Village roughly a mile away, everyone falls silent, hearing singing that they could only guess was sung by an angel. Nobody could identify who was singing. It was pretty much a guarantee that if anyone was told it was Branch singing, they would not believe it unless they saw proof of it for themselves. Creek was close to the lake when he heard the singing, his heart feeling like it was set on fire by the shear beauty of it. He sneaks closer, trying to see who was singing without interrupting them. He blushes bright red when he notices who it was. Completely stunned, Creek stays hidden, just listening to Branch's angelic singing voice until the song ends. He moves slightly into view once Branch was done, accidentally startling Branch and making him jump a bit.

"Sorry about scaring you like that, Branch. I didn't mean to do that and I certainly didn't want to interrupt your beautiful singing. I had no idea you had such an amazing singing voice. You sound like an angel..." His thoughts continue that line of talk.. 'and look like one too', but he doesn't outwardly say it, not wanting to cause Branch to run away. Creek moves closer as he said all that and removes the card from his hair. "I uhhh... I got your card." He shuffles his feet a moment along the soft grass then looks up at Branch, seeing the hopeful look in his eyes. He couldn't say much else, so instead of words, he let actions speak for themselves. He swoops in and pulls Branch to him, pressing his lips against those of the survivalist, getting a surprised squeak from him followed by a content purring like sound. Creek felt like he was in heaven, totally captivated by the softness of Branch's lips and the warmth he could feel radiating off the survivalists toned, muscular body from their close proximity.

Branch pulls back panting for breath before diving back in for another kiss, at this point not even caring who might see them. He pulls back again a minute later and locks eyes with Creek, enjoying the red tinted cheeks he was showing, not to mention the look in Creek's eyes that mirrored his own, a look of satisfaction that they were finally able to have what they wanted. He leans forward to whisper in the guru's ear. "I think we better take this back to the bunker. I doubt we want to risk an audience." He notices the slight nod and starts pulling the unresisting spiritual troll back towards the bunker with him, more than eager to take things up a few steps.

Leading the guru to the bunker and getting inside went fairly smooth, nobody getting in their path during transit from the lake to the bunker. Branch helps Creek down inside and secures the door, locking it with several locks to ensure nobody managed to get the door open from the outside. He looks over at Creek, noticing the amused expression from his overly cautious approach. Once secure, Branch scoots closer to Creek, curling an arm around his waist and pulling him flush against his own body, making both of them aware of how eager they each were for this alone time. Branch pushes himself up against Creek a bit more firmly getting a groan from the guru. "I guess this is something we both want, isn't it?" Creek nods a moment, noticing their descent into the lower part of the bunker. His nose twitches as the sweet vanilla aroma and notices the rose petals scattered in various areas, giving the bunker a romantic quality to it. He spots the direction the petals were going and raises an eye at Branch. "Let me guess, those lead to the bedroom don't they?"

Branch snickers and nods. "Good eye. I have big plans for you. Mostly involving you, me, the bed, and chocolate syrup." He teasingly licks his lips at the mention of the syrup causing Creek to let out a low moan at the thoughts running through his mind. He swoops in and captures Branch's lips again in a firm kiss, causing Branch to get a bit more bold and reach around to grab Creek by the butt and pull him closer, if that was even physically possible at that moment. Creek freaks out a moment when he is suddenly lifted and was dangling partly over Branch's shoulder, giving Creek a good view of Branch's rear. Creek reaches down and gives Branch a solid smack across his butt, being rewarded with a smack across his own butt in return. "Oh gods... you like it rough. Just be warned though, Branch, I haven't ever mated before so this is all going to be very new to me." He notices the room changing as he was carried towards the bedroom. Once inside, he could see the door getting closed before placed gently on the satin sheets on the bed. 

"Don't worry, I haven't mated before either, so this will be a new experience for both of us. I've had a few encounters though to get some very naughty thoughts. Let's just say, some of the encounters were quite informative as to what could be done." Branch grins slightly as Creek squirms on the bed, looking just as nervous as he was himself. To ease the tension, he quickly removes his leaf vest, giving Creek a full view of his muscular chest, indented with multiple scars from either gathering things or from protecting himself out in the woods. Creek, seeing the scars, reaches forward and lightly runs his hands over them. He stands up while doing so, giving Branch a chance to pull Creek's pants off him. What surprised Branch more wasn't Creek's size, even though he was quite well endowed, but rather the idea that Creek didn't wear underwear under his pants. He nudges Creek back onto the bed again, allowing the guru to remove his shorts and underwear in return, leaving them both naked in front of each other.

Taking the initiative, Creek reaches forward and gently takes hold of Branch's length, stroking it ever so gently from base to tip, listening to the light pants coming from the survivalist as he did so. He glances at the stand beside the bed noticing the bottle of syrup and then back at the length in his hand and gets a dirty grin on his face. Seeing the look, Branch stretches his hair out and snags the bottle so he wouldn't have to move from where he was and hands it to Creek. "I see that look, so go for it. Soon enough, that syrup is gonna be on you too with me licking it off." He chuckles hearing the groan, knowing that the teasing would help work up the guru even more. Creek pops open the syrup and leaves a trail down Branch's length before diving in and taking the length into his mouth, licking from base to tip and then taking it all in his mouth, or at least as much of it as possible. Branch arches his back a bit when that was going on, pushing himself deeper into Creek's eager mouth but not so much as to hurt him.

Creek pulls away after a short time, leaving Branch nice and hard, knowing what he wanted to do. He willingly lays back on the bed, giving Branch easy access to do what he wanted to do. Grinning all naughty like, Branch takes the bottle of syrup and leaves patterns on Creek's body with it, swirling around his nipples, his navel, and along his own length. Smirking a moment, Branch starts from the bottom and works towards the top, licking away the syrup as he travels up along the guru's sleek body. Once he was high enough up, he slides a hand under Creek's bottom and lightly probes at the tight ring of muscle in between Creek's cheeks. Creek squeaks a moment feeling the probing before lifting his hips a bit and bringing his legs a bit higher, giving Branch easier access. He whimpers a bit when he felt the intrusion of Branch's finger inside his hole, wincing a bit at the odd sensations. He squirms a bit, trying to adjust to the new sensation. He moans loud and deep when Branch pushes in a 2nd finger and brushes against the tender nerve bundles deep inside. Branch resumes licking the syrup off Creek's body to help give him more stimulation, noticing how loose Creek's body seemed to be getting from the double stimulation.

Removing his fingers from Creek's body gained him a groan of disappointment before Creek found his legs being pushed upwards, raising his butt off the bed a ways. Light pressure at his entrance made him aware of what was coming next causing him to wiggle against Branch eagerly, wanting it so badly that his entire body craved it. He whimpers as pain shoots through him when Branch pushes deep inside, electing to not move until his body adjusted to the intrusion in his body. He's jolted from his position as he feels Branch moving inside him, hitting that spot inside him with each well aimed thrust, making him scream in pleasure, his body demanding more even while the residual pain faded away into bliss. He so was gonna make Branch pay for this, was gonna make Branch his as well before this evening was done. In the meantime, he was being rocked by the thrusts into his own body, claiming him fully. He clamps down hard as he feels the hot release from Branch filling him deep inside, knowing that they were now mated for life.

Branch gently pulls himself free of Creek's hot body, being careful to not harm him in the process. He runs his hand down Creek's spine, easing the tension he could feel that had gathered there. He gently kisses Creek again, trailing kisses down Creek's neck and shoulders before suddenly finding himself being flipped under the guru. Looking up at Creek, Branch was kinda curious what the guru had in mind, that was until he heard Creek's next words which sent shudders down his spine. "You're next you know. If you think I'm going to be the only one on the receiving end, you have another thing coming, my dear mate." Creek gently turns Branch over onto his stomach, finding that Branch was more than willing to let it happen before testing the untouched depths of Branch's body with his own fingers, teasing the nerve bundles like Branch had done with him. Removing his finger gently, he pushes himself inside Branch, hearing the whimper of pain that followed his entry into that hot, tight passage. "Well, I guess you weren't kidding when you said this was a first for both of us. You're so tight, Branch, but so warm." He runs a hand down Branch's spine to ease the pain some before getting into a steady rhythm, feeling like he was in heaven with every thrust. It didn't take long for them both to reach completion, Creek releasing himself into Branch's body like Branch had done with him. "We're mated for life, Branch. There's no turning back now, my love. You are mine, now and always."

Branch shifts as Creek withdraws from him and looks at him with a small, loving smile. "I'm okay with that. I've wanted you for myself for so long, and now you are mine as well, now and always. Not to ruin this mood between us though, but when you arrived at the lake, you looked like you had something else on your mind. Is everything okay?"

Creek thinks a moment then nods. "Yes, everything is fine. I just recalled about the event that happens tonight at sunset. The Soul Flowers will bloom tonight, indicating who the soul mates are. For those of us now mated, if we are truly soul mates, the flowers will create a mist around each of us, binding us not just for this lifetime, but for all others that follow. No matter how many times we are reborn, we will always find our way back to each other." Creek snickers slightly when his stomach rumbles, followed closely by Branch's. "I guess our mating session got us a bit hungry. At least we have an idea what is for dessert later tonight, but for right now, should we go eat something before the event?"

The two share a laugh for a moment before getting up, getting cleaned up, bed changed, and heading into the kitchen. They help each other make the meal and enjoy their candlelight dinner together, silence filling the bunker as they just enjoyed each other's company. It was already closing in on 4pm and sunset was less than 2 hours away at that time. They were both looking forward to seeing the flowers bloom that night, a night which would forever bind them together, in this life and others to come.

...  
likely one last chapter after this. Hope you enjoy this chapter. *grabs a towel and a fan and tries to cool down* wheww baby lol


	8. Soul Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The soul flowers bloom, revealing the soul mates to the newly mated couples

When 5pm rolled around, the two males groaned knowing that their alone time was being interrupted. They get on the lift to head above ground, hoping to make it to the event on time. Branch goes to open the bunker hatch and darts sideways a bit to avoid Poppy's hand which had been prepping to knock on the hatch door and almost smacked Branch in the face. "Hey now, watch it Poppy!"

Poppy freaks out a moment, realizing what she almost did. "Oh my goodness, I am so sorry Branch. I was just coming over to make sure that you two weren't late for the event, or at the very least, that Creek wasn't late for it." She backs up a bit when Branch climbs up out of the bunker, pulling Creek up with him in the process.

"Actually Poppy, we were both just on our way to the event. Creek was telling me about it and made me curious enough to want to go see it for myself." He smirks slightly at the stunned expression on Poppy's face, knowing the reason it was there was because he pretty much NEVER went to parties or events. For him to be doing this now, he knew Poppy would be making a record of that event and likely even get a picture as proof. The smirk never left his face at the idea of a picture. Oh yes, he would give her a picture to remember for sure.

Creek glances over and notices the smirk along with the mischievous glimmer in his mate's eyes, having a fairly good idea roughly of what Branch was thinking about doing. He nudges him slightly and chuckles when Branch tries to act all innocent. "You're up to something, I know you are. You better behave tonight." He tried sounding stern but Branch could easily hear the teasing tone. "I have no idea what you mean." He chuckles slightly before following Creek and a gob-smacked Poppy back towards the village.

By the time they reached the village, everyone else had already gathered by the flowers, eager to see them bloom. Many of those in attendance were too young to have ever witnessed the blooming before, or simply too young to remember it. Some of the flowers were already starting to let off faint glows but the blooms had yet to start opening. When Branch and Creek approached the flowers, whispering started up because everyone was surprised to see the survivalist there. Creek stands beside a flower that was already glowing and matched his own skin colors. The blooms of the flowers were white, so only the glow was in the colors of the individual trolls. He notices the teal and royal blue glow of the connecting flower and glances over at Branch, seeing a look in his eyes he had never seen before. The only thing he could relate the look to was of someone remembering their past, a very painful and traumatic past that they really weren't sure if they wanted to recall or not.

Many of the trolls around them glance towards the horizon, seeing the sun dipping to its required location for the event. The remaining flowers light up in an array of color, colors that partly matched the trolls, and some of which almost mirrored the colors of the sky. Those colors were said to be the colors of deceased trolls or trolls yet to be born as many of them had a star-like quality to them.

Branch glances down at the flower in front of himself and Creek, noticing the blooms opening. The outsides were white, but the insides reflected the colors of the emitted glows. The one in front of Branch was showing teal and royal blue, colors he remembered himself as being when he was a child, colors he had prior to the deaths of his parents and grandmother. He gets a curious look on his face when he spots a mist start floating away from the flowers, one misty strand curling around Creek from his own bloom and the mist from the flower in front of Branch curling around himself. Before he realized it, the mist strands had not only circled around him and Creek, but an formed an intricate knot with each other over the top of the flower. The mist forms a bubble where the strands connected, mixing an array of colors, some blue's, some purples, some even purple pink in tone with slightly lighter tones of royal blue, mint green, and cobalt blue. The bubble pops and spreads a glitter like pattern over the two flowers, causing 5 buds to appear on the flower stalk in between the 2 main blooms, indication of how many children the two of them would have in the next couple years.

Branch and Creek share a look when they notice that, both turning interesting shades of reddish blue or purple. It was only then that Creek's eyes went really wide as he looked at Branch, noticing the change of color, colors that now matched the flower in front of Branch. He glances up at the hairstyle which bloomed out like a lotus flower, admiring the royal blue color of it. Looking down from there at the teal skin, he looks at Branch and locks eyes with him before clearing his throat. "Branch... uhh.. color."

Branch gets slightly confused a moment before glancing down at his hands and noticing the color change. He pulls his hair down into view noticing the royal blue color of it. He lets go and glances around, noticing everyone else giving him amazed looks, some of them were envious that he was with Creek, and others were just flat out fuming they weren't the ones with Branch. Poppy and Guy had also been tied together by the soul flowers as soul mates, and likewise with Smidge and Biggie. The 4 of them walk over and notice the 5 buds on Branch and Creek's flower and start poking them.

Poppy grins from ear to ear and looks at the now blue Branch in front of them. "Wow Branch, amazing color! Can you believe this though? Five buds.... that means you and Creek are gonna have 5 kids over the course of the next couple years. I really hope you either have a large pod in mind or plan to expand that bunker of yours." She giggles when Branch blushes bright blue-red.

Branch shakes his head and looks at Poppy. "I know you want a picture so you better get that camera handy." He shakes his head when Poppy pulls the camera out of her hair. He smirks all devious like and pulls Creek in for a full fledged make out type kiss for the picture. They both chuckle when they hear the click of the camera but didn't bother stopping what they were doing just yet. It was a few more moments before they pulled back and look at the smirking faces of the Snack Pack who had finally all gathered together. This had definitely been a Valentine's Day to remember.

Two years later, Branch and Creek were busy chasing their 5 kids through the bunker, having a hard time keeping up with them. Branch had wound up having triplets, finding out soon after the soul flower event 2 years prior, that Creeks family was known for twins or more. Creek himself had twins, giving them 5 kids all at the same time. Three of them were girls and 2 boys, one boy looking exactly like Branch and the other looking similar to Creek. They had named the boys Sky and River. Both boys were spiritual just like Creek as was 2 of the girls. The girls had been named Selene, Serenity, and Hope. Selene and Serenity were spiritual while Hope showed more of Branch's practical side. She also looked a lot like Branch with the teal skin and partly royal blue hair. The other part was green, kinda like Creek's hair. The two males had been telling the kids about the event, an event that had tied Branch and Creek together for eternity. 

These kids would go on to continue the family line, sparking the rebirth of Branch and Creek almost 150 years later. Poppy, Guy, Smidge, Biggie, and many others also joined the rebirth group around that time, but of course.. their adventures are for another story.

... TADA... end!!


End file.
